The conventional method of manufacturing fuses (except for the so-called renewable fuses or dual element fuses) involves a rather cumbersome procedure. According to the conventional method, a long tube made of glass or some other insulating material is cut to the size of the desired fuse and two metal caps or ferrules are then used to cap the ends of the glass tube to form the fuse cartridge. A fusible element is then passed through a perforation in the end caps and the ends of the fusible element are then soldered to the end caps to establish electrical contact with the electrical circuit in which the fuse is used.
When it is desired to attach a lead wire to the end caps, the respective ends of the fusible elements and the lead wire are soldered together simultaneously.
Since the various steps of the manufacture of the fuse are performed manually, workmanship, quality and productivity of fuses made by such conventional techniques depend largely on the skill of the worker. Slackened stretching of the fusible element, inadequate soldering, insufficient juncture between the ends of lead wire and the end caps, or with the fusible element, quantitative soldering and setting of the lead wire in a definite direction, are few of the problems and difficulties which are associated with the conventional method.
Since the advent of the so-called electronic age, there has been increasing demands for miniature electric fuses which employ extremely fine fusible elements. The aforementioned difficulties of manufacture, handling and soldering of the fusible element present even more serious problems and difficulties in the manufacture of miniature fuses.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved method of manufacturing fuses whereby the problems and difficulties inherent in the conventional methods are substantially reduced or eliminated.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide a fuse of novel construction which, due to the unique structure and configuration of its component parts, can be assembled more efficiently.
The foregoing and other objects of this invention will be more clearly comprehended from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the invention and the accompanying drawings.